Adele M Anthony, Estate Planning Lawyer

28/08/2026

28/08/2026

28/08/2026

28/08/2026

Most parents I speak to have one goal:

“I want what I’ve built to go to my children.”

Fair enough.

But here’s the question they often haven’t considered:

What happens after your child inherits it?

Relationships change.
Marriages end.
People repartner.
Families become complicated.

And suddenly, the inheritance you spent decades building may be sitting inside circumstances you never anticipated.

That’s why I don’t think good estate planning is simply about deciding who gets what.

It’s about asking:

“What could happen to it next?”

A simple Will may be enough for some families.

For others, particularly where there is significant wealth, blended families, business interests or concerns about a beneficiary’s circumstances, it may be worth considering whether a testamentary trust Will provides a more appropriate structure.

You spent decades building it.

Spend a little time thinking about how you want it protected.

I help Queensland families put thoughtful estate plans in place - including Standard Wills and Testamentary Trust Wills.

DM me “WILL” if getting your estate planning sorted has been sitting on your list for far too long.

Appointments are available Queensland-wide, but I deliberately keep my client numbers limited.

26/08/2026

Dad dies. His Will leaves everything to his second wife. What happens to the kids from his first marriage?

This is one of the questions that comes up again and again in blended-family estate planning.

And the answer is not simply:

“They’re his kids, so they’ll get their share.”

If Dad leaves his entire estate to his second wife, his children from his first marriage do not automatically receive part of his estate just because they are his children.

They may, however, be eligible to make a family provision application if adequate provision has not been made for their proper maintenance and support.

But eligibility to make a claim does not mean they will automatically succeed.

The Court looks at the individual circumstances, including the provision made by the Will, the circumstances and needs of the people involved, the nature and value of the estate, and other relevant factors.

And there’s another issue families often don't think about:

What happens to Dad’s wealth after his second wife dies?

If assets pass to her outright, Dad’s Will generally no longer determines where those assets ultimately go.

She may have her own children.

She may remarry.

Her Will may change.

And Dad’s children may ultimately receive less than he assumed - or potentially nothing from those assets.

That doesn't mean leaving everything to your spouse is necessarily wrong.

It means blended families often need more sophisticated estate planning than “everything to my spouse, then the kids.”

If you have children from a previous relationship, your Will needs to reflect the family you actually have - not the simple family structure most basic Wills assume.

📩 DM me “BLENDED” if you want to talk about getting your estate planning sorted.

I work with clients Queensland-wide. Appointments are limited.

General information only. Estate planning and family provision matters depend on individual circumstances. Legal advice should be obtained about your particular circumstances.

26/08/2026

Most parents think leaving everything equally between their children is the fairest thing they can do.

And sometimes, it is.

But equal isn’t always the same as protected.

If one of your children later separates or divorces, an inheritance they’ve received can potentially become relevant when their financial circumstances are considered.

That doesn’t mean their former partner automatically gets half their inheritance.

It means how you structure what you leave behind matters.

This is one of the reasons I talk to clients about more than simply:

“Who gets what?”

We talk about their children.

Their relationships.

Their financial circumstances.

What could change in the future.

And whether a testamentary trust Will may offer advantages that a simple Will doesn’t.

Because good estate planning isn’t just about dividing your assets.

It’s about thinking about what could happen to those assets after they leave your hands.

If you've been meaning to get your estate planning sorted, send me a DM with the word WILL and we can start the process.

I work with clients remotely across Queensland, after hours available, and appointments are limited.

General information only. Estate planning and family law outcomes depend on individual circumstances.

22/08/2026

I love my partner.

But estate planning isn’t about assuming the people we love will never move on.

It’s about planning for the possibility that life keeps happening after we’re gone.

He could live another 20 years.

He could fall in love again.

He could remarry.

And suddenly there’s another person in the family picture.

That doesn’t make her a villain.

It makes her a possibility I need to plan for.

Because if I’ve spent decades building wealth that I ultimately want to reach my children, I don’t want that outcome depending entirely on what happens in someone else’s future.

That’s why good estate planning asks uncomfortable questions.

Not because you don’t trust your spouse.

Because hope is not an estate plan.

If protecting your children’s inheritance matters to you, your Will should be designed with more than today’s family circumstances in mind.

Send me a DM and I’ll send you information about my estate planning appointments.

Queensland clients | Remote appointments available.

General information only. Your circumstances should be considered individually before deciding on an appropriate estate planning structure.

22/08/2026

You’re leaving your daughter an inheritance.

But have you thought about what could happen to that inheritance if her marriage later breaks down?

Most parents haven’t.

They make a Will, leave everything to their children and assume that means the wealth they spent a lifetime building will always stay with those children.

But estate planning can be more sophisticated than simply deciding who gets what.

For some families, a testamentary trust may provide greater structure and flexibility around how an inheritance is received and managed.

And no - a testamentary trust isn't a magic shield that guarantees an inheritance can never become relevant in a future property settlement.

But that's exactly why good estate planning looks beyond:

“Who do I want to inherit my estate?”

and asks:

“What could happen to that inheritance after I'm gone?”

Because if you've spent decades building wealth for your children, it's worth thinking about what happens to it next.

Want to know whether a Standard Will or a Will incorporating a testamentary trust may be more appropriate for your family?

DM me or use the Contact Us link in myto book an estate planning appointment.

Appointments are limited.

General information only. This is not legal advice and individual circumstances vary.

22/08/2026

Most people think a Will answers one question:

“Who gets my stuff when I die?”

That’s the easy question.

The better question is:

What could happen to it after they get it?

Because life doesn’t stop happening just because you’ve died.

Your daughter could divorce.

Your surviving spouse could remarry.

A young beneficiary could inherit more money than they have the maturity to manage.

And the wealth you spent decades building could end up somewhere you never intended.

I write Wills for a living.

And the more estate planning I do, the less interested I am in simply leaving an inheritance.

I’m interested in what happens to it next.

A good estate plan doesn’t try to predict the future.

It plans for the fact that the future is unpredictable.

That’s the difference between leaving money behind and leaving it thoughtfully.

If your Will simply says who gets what, but you’ve never asked what could happen after they inherit, it may be time for a proper estate planning conversation.

I offer remote estate planning appointments for Queensland clients. Spots limited.

DM me and let's chat.

This is general information only and does not constitute legal advice.